a. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to communication networks, and particularly, to managing energy consumption within network communication equipment.
b. Background of Invention
Communication equipment such as network adaptors, routers, and switches are responsible for conveying data from one user to an intended other user using various communication protocols. Routing protocols, which determine how routers and/or switches communicate with each other across a communication network, may spread the flow of data traffic across various routers/switches/adaptors in order to reduce data latency. However, such a reduction of data latency may be accomplished at the expense of an increase in energy consumption within the routers/switches/adaptors in the data path.
It may, therefore, be advantageous, among other things, to manage the consumption of energy by the various elements of a communications network such as routers, switches, network adaptors, etc.